Woman on own in Riyadh - advice?

Riyadh is one of the most conservative areas in Saudi and there are many restrictions for women on their own.   It does seem that men get all the advantages socially (e.g., use of the pool, dining options, etc.); however, if you dig a little you can find that there are options for single women.  Shopping malls are a place where women and men alike go to for socialization.  Shopping malls in Riyadh may not be like the ones from your home country!  Many have small amusement parks for children, restaurants ranging from typical mall fare to the very delicious, and a range of clothing stores.  Every mall has its own personality, with some catering to a more upscale clientele (i.e., Centria Mall) to malls that cater specifically to women.  Kingdom Mall, also known as Mumlikah, has a women’s only floor, and Bushra Ladies Mall is 100% only for women).  In the dining areas of the malls, there are typically family or women only sections.  Malls have various timings, where during certain times of the day only families are allowed entry, meaning no single men allowed during certain hours! Additionally, all malls operate according to the prayer schedule.  So, if you are looking for something to do on a Friday, you can’t go to the mall until after 4pm.
 
If you are interested in the outdoors, you can join one of the local Hash House Harrier (HHH) groups.  The HHH is an ex-pat hiking/walking group that has chapters all across the world.  In Saudi Arabia, they go to various places in the desert for ex-pat socializing and site seeing on the weekends.  Please note that these groups are only for foreign passport holders.  Another option is going to the Diplomatic Quarter or DQ (often times it is called Al Safarat, which translates to embassy).  There are many beautiful walking paths and women do walk alone there.  While some women do not cover inside the DQ (meaning no abaya or head scarf), as a woman walking alone you may feel more comfortable dressing as you normally do inside Saudi Arabia.  Additionally, there are restaurants, cafes, and a women’s only spa/gym inside the DQ. 
 
These are just a few examples of activities.  You may also want to contact your local embassy to see if they have outings or events that you can participate in.

Hi Yasmine, HHH sounds interesting. Can you please tell me how i can be a part of this community?

Asalam yasmeen, if you can help me for the jobs in riyadh, as i am from india & i will get marry soon & shifting riyadh with my husband. i am looking for a admin job in riyad if you have any contacts or refrences can you please let me know for the same. you can contact me on my email id is farhat_qureshiimi@hotmail.com

Hi,please guide me is there any place in riyadh for women can do job in summer vacation period or get any vocational training centers for boys age15-20.How to spend this boring summer vacation .

Try the Women's Skills Bureau for jobs (http://www.wsb-ksa.com/). They also have a Facebook page and newsletter. Your embassy may have resources for your boys and other activities to do over the summer. Good luck!